Objective
During initial stages a cell accumulating tumor-promoting mutations is usually surrounded by normal cells. Current cancer models do not incorporate this transition from a single cell to a field of cells, although it is probably critical, since the behavior of an individual tumor cell within the cell community has to be dictated by the hard-wired genetic program that controls its aberrant cell biology and modulated by the plastic interactions with neighboring normal cells. Study of model organisms, such as yeast, C. elegans, or Drosophila, has historically pioneered crucial contributions to processes with important implications in neoplasia. Recent work in Drosophila has proposed a role for cell-competition and super-competition in early stages of cancer formation. Cell competition is a type of cell-cell interaction in which more competitive cells replace less competitive cells (Morata and Ripoll, 1975; Moreno et al. 2002). During the last year, my laboratory has performed the first microarrays to find genes involved in cell competition, as well as developed an in vitro system for cell competition. The genes identified in the microarrays are not downstream dMyc but are rather induced at the boundaries where cell competition takes place and seem to be upstream apoptosis induction. The new genes will be studied in vivo in Drosophila and in vitro with RNAi. We will also perform other microarray settings to subdivide the genes in different categories. Thanks to the complete genome sequences of both Drosophila and humans, those genes could be used to find human homologues that could serve as novel markers and targets for the detection and/or treatment of cancer at earlier stages. The possible use of cell competition as a tool for cell replacement will also be pursued. We expect to patent at least two or three of the novel uncharacterized genes with human homologs.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: https://op.europa.eu/en/web/eu-vocabularies/euroscivoc.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: https://op.europa.eu/en/web/eu-vocabularies/euroscivoc.
- natural sciences biological sciences cell biology
- natural sciences biological sciences genetics mutation
- medical and health sciences clinical medicine oncology
- natural sciences biological sciences genetics genomes
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
ERC-2007-StG
See other projects for this call
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Host institution
3012 Bern
Switzerland
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.